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9x19mm Parabellum
|type= Pistol |designer= Georg Luger |design_date= 1901 |manufacturer= |production_date= 1902–present |number= |used_by= NATO and others |wars= World War I – present |variants= 9mm NATO m/39B 9×19mm Parabellum +P 9×19mm 7N21 +P+ 9×19mm 7N31 +P+ |parent= 7.65×21mm Parabellum |case_type= Rimless, tapered |is_SI_specs= yes |bullet= 9.01 |neck= 9.65 |shoulder= |base= 9.93 |rim_dia= 9.96 |rim_thick= 1.27 |case_length= 19.15 |length= 29.69 |case_capacity= 0.862 |primer= Berdan or Boxer small pistol |max_pressure=235.00 |pressure_method=C.I.P. |max_pressure2=241.32 |pressure_method2=SAAMI |is_SI_ballistics= yes |bwunit= gram |velocity= |energy= |bw1= 7.45 |btype1= FMJ |vel1= 390 |en1= 570 |bw2= 8.04 |btype2= FMJ |vel2= 360 |en2= 518 |bw3= 7.50 |btype3= JHP |vel3= 377 |en3= 533 |bw4= 7.45 |btype4= JHP +P |vel4= 411 |en4= 632 |bw5= 7.45 |btype5= JHP +P+ |barrel= 118 |vel5= 426 |en5= 678 |test_barrel_length= Tests 1,2&3: 150mm(5.91in) / Tests 4&5: 118mm(4.65in) |balsrc= Sellier & Bellot, Buffalo Bore, C.I.P., Cor-Bon }} The 9×19mm Parabellum (abbreviated 9mm, 9mmP, 9×19mm or 9×19) cartridge was designed by Georg Luger and introduced in 1902 by the German weapons manufacturer Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) for their Luger semi-automatic pistol.Hogg, Ian V.; Weeks, John S. Military Small Arms of the 20th Century (7th Edition), p.40. Krause Publications, 2000 For this reason, it is designated as the 9mm Luger / 9mm Luger +P by the SAAMISAAMI 9mm Luger / 9mm Luger +P cartridge and chamber drawings and the 9 mm Luger by the C.I.P. (differentiating it from the 9mm Makarov and 9mm Browning cartridges). Under STANAG 4090, it is a standard cartridge for NATO forces as well as many non-NATO countries.NATO Infantry Weapons Standardization, Per G. Arvidsson, ChairmanWeapons & Sensors Working GroupLand Capability Group 1 – Dismounted Soldier NATO Army Armaments Group The name Parabellum is derived from the Latin: Si vis pacem, para bellum ("If you seek peace, prepare for war"), which was the motto of DWM. According to the 2006 edition of Cartridges of the World, the 9×19mm Parabellum is "the world's most popular and widely used military handgun cartridge." In addition to being used by over 60% of police in the U.S., Newsweek credits 9×19mm Parabellum pistol sales with making semi-automatic pistols more popular than revolvers.Adler, Jerry, et al. "Story of a Gun." Newsweek 149.18 (30 April 2007): 36–39. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Dallas Public Library, Dallas, TX. retrieved 10 June 2009. [http://www.newsweek.com/id/35253 Newsweek online edition] The popularity of this cartridge can be attributed to the widely held conviction that it is effective in police and self-defense use.Davis, William C. (1986). Handloading, Second Printing: National Rifle Association. ISBN 0-935998-34-9 p242-243 Its low cost and wide availability contribute to the caliber's continuing popularity. Origins Georg Luger developed the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge from his earlier 7.65×21mm Parabellum round, which itself was derived from the original 7.65×25mm Borchardt cartridge in the Borchardt C-93 pistol. Shortening the length of the cartridge case used in the Borchardt pistol allowed him to improve the design of the toggle lock and to incorporate a smaller, angled grip. Luger's work on the Borchardt design evolved into the Luger pistol, first patented in 1898 and chambered in 7.65×21mm Parabellum. Demand for larger calibers in military sidearms led to Luger to develop the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge for his new pistol. This was achieved by removing the bottleneck shape of the 7.65×21mm Parabellum case, resulting in a tapered rimless cartridge encasing a bullet that was 9mm in diameter. In 1902, Luger presented the new round to the British Small Arms Committee as well as three prototype versions to the U.S. Army for testing at Springfield Arsenal in mid-1903. The Imperial German Navy adopted the cartridge in 1904 and in 1908 the German Army adopted it as well. The ogive of the bullet was slightly redesigned in the 1910s in order to improve feeding. To conserve lead during World War II in Germany, the lead core was replaced by an iron core encased with lead. This bullet, identified by a black bullet jacket, was designated as the 08 mE ( —"with iron core"). By 1944, the black jacket of the 08 mE bullet was dropped and these bullets were produced with normal copper-colored jackets. Another wartime variation was designated the 08 sE bullet and identified by its dark gray jacket, and was created by compressing iron powder at high temperature into a solid material ( —"sintered iron"). Popularity After World War I, acceptance of the 9×19mm Parabellum chambering increased, and 9×19mm Parabellum pistols and submachine guns were adopted by military and police users in many countries. The 9×19mm Parabellum has become the most popular caliber for U.S. law enforcement agencies, primarily due to the availability of compact pistols with large magazine capacities that use the cartridge.CCI/Speer Inc. (2007). Reloading Manual #14. ISBN 978-0-9791860-0-4. Worldwide, the 9×19mm Parabellum is one of the more popular pistol cartridges where it is legal (some countries ban civilian use of weapons that chamber current or former military service cartridges), and cartridges in this caliber are generally available anywhere pistol ammunition is sold. From the early 1980s to the mid-1990s, there was a sharp increase in the popularity of semi-automatic pistols in the U.S., a trend foreshadowed by the adoption of the Smith & Wesson Model 39 by the Illinois State Police in 1968. In addition, the Beretta M9 (a military version of the Beretta Model 92) was adopted by the U.S. Army in 1985. Previously, most American police departments issued .38 Special caliber revolvers with a six-shot capacity. The .38 Special was preferred to other weapons such as variants of the M1911 because it offered low recoil, was small and light enough to accommodate different shooters, and was relatively inexpensive. The 9mm is ballistically superior to the .38 Special revolver cartridge, is shorter overall, and being an autoloader cartridge, it is stored in flat magazines, as opposed to cylindrical speedloaders. This, coupled with the advent of the so-called "wonder nines" led to many U.S. police departments exchanging their revolvers for some form of 9mm semi-automatic handguns by the 1980s. In 2014 the FBI released a report detailing the potential combat effectiveness of the 9mm cartridge when compared to other calibers such as the .45 ACP and the .40 Smith & Wesson cartridge that was specifically developed for use by the FBI. The report indicated that the new powders and more advanced bullet designs used in current 9mm defensive loads allowed for the caliber to deliver comparable performance to other calibers, like the .45 ACP, and .40 S&W. In addition to this the lower recoil, less wear, and higher capacity were all reasons that the report cited for the recent surge in orders of the ammunition from various police agencies. With a wider selection of officers being able to shoot handguns chambered in 9×19mm many departments choose this caliber so they can standardize around a single firearm and loading, making logistics and supply easier. Due to all of these factors, law enforcement orders of 9mm ammo from all major ammunition manufacturers have spiked dramatically. Cartridge dimensions types: unjacketed (lead), full metal jacket, and hollow point.]] The 9×19mm Parabellum has 0.86 ml (13.3 grains H2O) cartridge case capacity. 9×19mm Parabellum maximum C.I.P. cartridge dimensions.C.I.P. TDCC sheet 9 mm Luger All sizes in millimeters (mm). The cartridge headspaces on the mouth of the case.Wilson, R. K. Textbook of Automatic Pistols, p.239. Plantersville, SC: Small Arms Technical Publishing Company, 1943. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 250 mm (1 in 9.84 in), 6 grooves, ø lands = 8.82 mm, ø grooves = 9.02 mm, land width = 2.49 mm and the primer type is small pistol. According to the official C.I.P. (Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives) rulings the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge case can handle up to Pmax piezo pressure. In C.I.P. regulated countries every pistol cartridge combo has to be proofed at 130% of this maximum C.I.P. pressure to certify for sale to consumers. This means that 9×19mm Parabellum chambered arms in C.I.P. regulated countries are currently (2014) proof tested at PE piezo pressure. The SAAMI pressure limit for the 9×19mm Parabellum is set at piezo pressure. The SAAMI pressure limit for the 9×19mm Parabellum +P is set at piezo pressure. Empty case with primer weighs approximately . Performance .]] The round was originally designed to be lethal to 50 m, but the bullet travels and is lethal at longer ranges. The 9 mm cartridge combines a flat trajectory with moderate recoil. According to the 1986 book Handloading: "the modern science of wound ballistics has established beyond reasonable doubt that the 9mm cartridge is highly effective." Improvements and variations In addition to the traditional pressure values for this cartridge, there are two main variants that offer different pressure standards than the SAAMI or C.I.P requirements. 9 mm Commonwealth standard The Cartridge S.A. Ball 9 m/m Mark Iz (9 m/m BALL MK 1z) was the standard Imperial 9-mm Parabellum round in World War Two and was produced from December 1941 to 1944. It was meant for use in semi-auto pistols like the Inglis Browning Hi-Power. Bullet weight was 115 grains grams. Velocity was 1200 feet/second meters/second at 20 yards meters. It is noted by its purple annulus around a standard gold-colored primer. The higher-powered Cartridge S.A. Ball 9 m/m Mark IIz (9m/m Ball MK 2z) was in production from September, 1943 to 1988 and was graded as NATO standard in 1962. It was designed for use in submachineguns like the Lanchester, Sten, and Sterling. Bullet weight is 115 grains grams over a charge of 6 grains grams of Du Pont SR.4898 or Dynamit-Nobel Parabellum Powder. Velocity is 1300 feet/second meters/second at 20 yards meters. It can be distinguished from the 9-mm Ball MK 1z by its purple annulus around a silver primer. India and Pakistan manufactured 9-mm Parabellum ammunition to this standard after independence. Canada's Cartridge S.A. Ball 9 m/m CDN Mark I (9-mm Ball CDN MK 1), made from 1955 to present, has similar ballistics. Bullet weight is 115 grains grams. Nominal Muzzle Velocity is 1246.7 feet/second meters/second. 9mm NATO standard The 9 mm cartridge has been manufactured by, or for, more than 70 different countries and has become a standard pistol caliber for NATO and other military forces around the world. Its official nomenclature among NATO members is "9mm NATO". Standard bullet weight is 124 grains grams. The 9mm NATO can be considered as an overpressure variant of the 9×19mm Parabellum that is defined by NATO standards. The service pressure Pmax of the 9mm NATO is rated at where C.I.P. rates the 9 mm Luger PTmax somewhat lower at . The proofing test pressure used in the 9mm NATO proof test however equals the proofing test pressure used in the 9 mm Luger C.I.P. proof test. While the NATO standards do not specify the type of bullet to be used, Declaration III of the Hague Convention of 1899 prohibits the use of expanding ammunition in warfare by signatories, and therefore official 9mm NATO ammunition is FMJ "ball" bullets. It should be noted that Declaration III does not apply in conflicts involving non-signatories to the Hague Convention, including paramilitary and other non-governmental fighting forces.http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/dec99-03.asp Swedish m/39 The 9mm Parabellum entered Swedish service as m/39 with the import of the ''Kulsprutepistol'' m/39 from Austria, with a bullet weight of 7.5 gram (115 grain)."Hemvärnet 1940–1990'', 1990. Red. Bo Kjellander s. 259–260. During the Congo Crisis, the Swedish UN-contingent issued complaints about the performance of the m/39 cartridge (regular 9mm Parabellum) used, which resulted in a commission of the Swedish Army establishing in 1962 that a new round was needed for the Carl Gustav m/45. The resulting m/39B had a tombac-plated steel jacket surrounding the lead core. While the lands of the barrel can cut into the tombac, the steel jacket resists deformation and thus causes the gas pressure to rise higher than the previous soft-jacketed m/39, giving the 6,8 gram (106 grain) bullet a Vₒ of Arméstabens taktiska avdelning februari 1962 : "Erfarenheterna från striderna i Kongo under september och december 1961" and an impact energy of 600 joules. The mantle also acts like a penetrator when striking a target, going through up to 50 layers of kevlar, 7 cm bricks or 25 cm of wood, allowing the bullet to defeat body armour up to Type IIIA. The downside is the higher wear on the weapon, ultimately causing the service pistol m/40 to be withdrawn from service. The m/39 is also available as a "gallery round" – kammarpatron m/39 – black with blue tip, for indoor gallery shooting, and as a blank round – lös patron m/39 – which has the metal bullet replaced with one in red, hard plastic intended to disintegrate into dust when fired. 9×19mm +P variant Attempts to improve ballistics of the cartridge came in the early 1990s with the widespread availability of high-pressure loadings of the 9 mm cartridge. Such overpressure cartridges are labeled "+P" or in the case of very high pressure loadings "+P+". Ballistic performance of these rounds was moderately improved over the standard loadings. In addition, improvements in jacketed hollow-point bullet technology have produced bullet designs that are more likely to expand and less likely to fragment than earlier iterations, giving a 9 mm bullet better terminal effectiveness. 9mm SESAMS The United States Military uses red and blue marking rounds in the 9mm caliber known as Special Effects Small Arms Marking Systems (SESAMS). Commonly used for training simulations, these rounds are comparable in function to the paintballs used in paintball markers, except they are fired with a powder charge, and can be shot in Beretta M9 service pistols with only a barrel modification (The Glock 19-series 9mm pistol, common among police departments, has a similar available modification). The 9mm SESAMS rounds are fired from specially modified pistols as well as M16 and M4 rifles, which are incapable of chambering standard live ammunition. pistol]] SESAMS weapons or components are normally painted blue or otherwise clearly marked, in order to denote their inert status and avoid a potentially catastrophic mixup with live-fire weapons.Bianco, Michael (4 June 2009) "Marines conduct urban warfare training ", marines.mil, Retrieved 21 December 2009. (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/5mCeN99CA) This allows the armed forces to train with nearly identical equipment as used in real life situations.Senior Master Sgt. Steven Bliss (6 August 2009) "Commando Warrior adds realistic combat training with simunitions " Retrieved 21 December 2009 The brand name for this ammunition, which is sold commercially and to law enforcement, is Simunition. Russian military overpressure variants The Russian military has developed specialized 9×19mm cartridges that utilize relatively light bullets at high muzzle velocities for both pistols and submachine guns to defeat body armour.Russian 9×19mm Pistol Rounds, Land Forces Weapons Export Catalog, page 109 Besides enhanced penetration capabilities, these overpressure variants offer a flatter trajectory and lessened recoil. The increase in service pressure causes a rise in bolt thrust, so the use of this overpressure ammunition induces more stress on critical weapon parts during firing. After initial research, conducted since the late 1980s under the codename "Grach", the Russian armed forces adopted two specialized 9×19mm variants. * R50 at means the closest 50 percent of the shot group will all be within a circle of radius at . The 7N21 (Cyrillic: 7Н21) 9×19mm overpressure variant features an armour-piercing bullet and generates a peak pressure of . The 7N21 bullet features a hardened (sub-caliber) steel penetrator core, enclosed by a bimetal jacket. The space between the core and jacket is filled with polyethylene, and the tip of the penetrator is exposed at the front of the bullet, to achieve better penetration. The penetration range for body armor is specified at up to 40 m. The MP-443 Grach and GSh-18 pistols and PP-19-01, PP-90M1 and PP-2000 submachine guns were designed for usage with this overpressure cartridge. Jane's Infantry Weapons stated in 2003 that the 7N21 cartridge combines the 9×19mm Parabellum dimensions with a 9×21mm Gyurza bullet design and was developed specifically for the penetration of body armor and for the MP-443 Grach pistol, the latest Russian service pistol. The 7N31 (Cyrillic: 7Н31) / PBP 9×19mm overpressure variant uses the same concept with a similar but lighter bullet that achieves higher muzzle velocity. The penetration of an 8 mm thick steel plate is specified at up to 10 m. The 7N31 cartridge was developed in the late 1990s for the GSh-18 pistol. The 7N31 was adopted for the PP-90M1 and PP-2000 submachine guns. Its maximum service pressure remains unclear. The method of construction of the two rounds allows them to be effective against both unarmored and armored targets. If the bullet strikes an unarmored target, it holds together to produce a wide wound channel. If the bullet strikes an armored target, the sleeve is stripped away and the core penetrates alone. The disadvantage of the rounds is that high impact velocities are needed for them to work effectively, so the bullets are relatively light to maximize their muzzle velocity. This means they will lose velocity relatively quickly, limiting their effective range.Where Next For PDWs? by Anthony G Williams 9mm major "9mm major" is a term common among handloaders in IPSC and USPSA competitions in the open division. It describes a 9×19mm loaded to reach or surpass the "major" power factor in those competitions, something that very few commercial self-defense loads do. Such loads are only rarely within the limits defined by SAAMI or CIP, exceeding even +P loads. 124gr projectiles are pushed beyond 1331 feet per second to meet USPSA power factor. Usually, they are loaded with relatively large charges of a low volume slow-burning powder such as HS-6 and Autocomp. Sometimes they are made longer than standard OAL to allow more capacity with heavier bullets. Since they can be used with common 9×19 brass, they are considered a more economical alternative to .38 Super. Other variants VBR-B produces specialized bullets for this cartridge, a 2-part controlled fragmenting projectile and an armor-piercing bullet that features a brass sabot and a hardened steel penetrator. These are designed for increasing the content of the permanent wound cavity and double the chance to hit a vital organ. U.S. data The energy delivered by most 9 mm loads allows for significant expansion and penetration with premium JHP bullets. Illinois State Police, Border Patrol, Federal Air Marshals and United States Secret Service favored and used +P+ 9 mm loads at for years with excellent results. Massad Ayoob has stated that the "Tried, Tested, and True" +P or +P+ is the best self-defense load in this caliber. Proponents of the hydrostatic shock theory contend that the energy of the 9mm cartridge is capable of imparting remote wounding effects known as hydrostatic shock, in human-sized living targets. Sturtevant B, Shock Wave Effects in Biomechanics, Sadhana, 23: 579–596, 1998. 9×19mm Parabellum pistols with standard (not extended) double-stack magazines can hold up to 19 rounds, such as the Springfield XDM-9. The table below shows common performance parameters for several 9×19mm loads. Bullet weights ranging from are common. Loads are available with energies from just over to , and penetration depths from to over are available for various applications and risk assessments. Key: Expansion: expanded bullet diameter (ballistic gelatin). Penetration: penetration depth (ballistic gelatin). PC: permanent cavity volume (ballistic gelatin, FBI method). TSC: temporary stretch cavity volume (ballistic gelatin). Synonyms * 9×19 * 9mm * 9mm Luger * 9mm NATO * 9×19mm * 9 mil * 9×19mm NATO * 9mm Parabellum * 9mm Para * 9mmP See also *7.65×21mm Parabellum * 9 mm caliber * List of firearms * List of handgun cartridges * List of rifle cartridges * NATO EPVAT testing * Table of handgun and rifle cartridges References External links * Article on 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge collecting including history with photos and descriptions of variations including headstamps * Ballistics By The Inch 9×19mm Parabellum Results. * Data on the Russian ammo (in Russian) Category:1902 introductions Category:9mm Parabellum firearms Category:Pistol and rifle cartridges Category:Military cartridges